Wind turbine comprising a transport unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10047727-B2
Application number	US-201414907236-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 18, 2014
Priority date	Jul 30, 2013
Publication date	Aug 14, 2018
Grant date	Aug 14, 2018

Abstract

A wind turbine is provided, with a tower with a longitudinal axis, a nacelle on the tower, multiple power cables which extend from the nacelle into the tower and a transport unit. The transport unit is fastened inside the nacelle and serves to transport loads inside the tower to the nacelle. The transport unit has a cable guide unit with multiple rings, wherein the power cables are fastened to the circumference of the rings so that a region inside the rings is kept free for transporting the load. A top ring is fastened to the nacelle and a bottom ring is fastened non-rotatably in or on the tower. The bottom ring has a non-rotatable guide along the longitudinal axis of the tower.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A wind turbine, comprising:
a tower having a longitudinal axis,
a nacelle rotatably mounted on the tower,
a plurality of cables extending from the nacelle into the tower,
a transport unit fastened inside the nacelle, the transport unit being configured to transport loads inside the tower to the nacelle or down to the ground, wherein the transport unit includes:
a cable guide unit with a plurality of rings, wherein the plurality of cables are fastened to a circumference of the plurality of rings so that a region inside the plurality of rings is kept free for transporting the loads,
a supporting structure, and
a line coupled to the supporting structure and extending into the region inside the plurality of rings, wherein the line is configured to travel between the nacelle and the ground within the region inside the plurality of rings to transport the loads,

wherein a top ring of the plurality of rings is fastened to the nacelle and a bottom ring of the plurality of rings is fastened non-rotatably in or on the tower, wherein the bottom ring engages with a non-rotatable guide that extends in a direction that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tower.

2. The wind turbine according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cables are arranged at an outer circumference of the rings.

3. The wind turbine according to claim 1 , wherein the bottom ring has at least two ring guides that engage with the non-rotatable guide.

4. The wind turbine according to claim 1 , wherein distances between cables that are located radially opposed from each other and between adjacent rings are considered when calculating the maximum available internal diameter of the rings for transporting the loads.

5. The wind turbine according to claim 1 , wherein the line is a chain or a rope.

6. A wind turbine, comprising:
a tower having a longitudinal axis;
a nacelle rotatably mounted on the tower;
a plurality of power cables extending from the nacelle into the tower;
a cable guide unit that includes a plurality of rings and a bottom ring, the plurality of power cables being coupled to a circumference of the plurality of rings and the bottom ring so that regions inside the plurality of rings and the bottom ring are kept free to transport loads between the nacelle and the ground, wherein the plurality of rings are configured to rotate, wherein the bottom ring does not rotate and engages with a non-rotatable guide inside of the tower; and
a lifting device fastened to the nacelle and configured to lift a load through the plurality of rings, the lifting device including a line that extends through the plurality of rings and to lift the load through the plurality of rings.

7. The wind turbine according to claim 6 , wherein the line is a chain or a rope.

8. The wind turbine according to claim 6 , wherein the bottom ring is coupled to the non-rotatable guide by a ring guide that slides linearly within the non-rotatable guide.

9. The wind turbine according to claim 8 , wherein as the ring guide slides linearly in the non-rotatable guide, the bottom ring slides linearly inside of the tower.

10. The wind turbine according to claim 6 , wherein the plurality of power cables are coupled to the circumference of the plurality of rings and the bottom ring by cable ties.

Assignees

• Wobben Properties Gmbh

Inventors

• Röer Jochen
• Köhler Jan-Phillip

Classifications

• F05B2240/916

  with provision for hoisting onto the structure · CPC title

• F03D80/85 Primary

  Cabling · CPC title

• F03D80/88

  of mechanical components · CPC title

• Y02E10/728

  Onshore wind turbines · CPC title

• F03D13/20 Primary

  Arrangements for mounting or supporting wind motors; Masts or towers for wind motors · CPC title